Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Here's a thought

If Scotland votes to leave the UK (not that it will but let us suppose) they will, presumably, have to apply for EU membership, which is what Alex Salmond longs for. However, the country they will leave behind will be very different from the one that became member of the then European Economic Community, which gradually transmogrified into just the European Community and, after the Maastricht Treaty, into the European Union. Will the remaining parts, England, Wales and Northern Ireland have to reapply? That could be interesting.

In 1801 UK was created with a union with Ireland (changed after 1921 to account for the Irish Republic leaving). So Scotland leaving would mean abolishing of 1707 act but the 1801 one would remain - i.e. the United Kingdom of England / Wales and NI). It would be NI leaving that would abolish UK and thus cause us to leave EU, though obviously that is even less likely than Scotland going.

Sue, I don't think there's any mystery to it. The EU is cosying up to seperatist movements all over the continent.

But I think TBF is right. The rump UK would still be the UK, if only just. But England and Wales on their own would be, constitutionally speaking, simply “England” (although I'm sure that if that entity were ever to return to indpendent existence, a name such as “The United Kingdom of England and Wales” might well be invented - however constitutionally incorrect - to spare Welsh sensitivites).

But TBF and Sam, the United Kingdom was created by a union of Great Britain with Ireland (set aside the later adjustment). However, with Scotland going Great Britain will no longer exist, thus making the 1801 union null and void. Wales, as it happens, has not had a separate existence as a state for a very long time if ever. That was not a union but an incorporation of the Principality into England. I agree, though we could call it England and Wales. However, I still submit that Scotland's independence changes the situation quite considerably and should really mean new applications to the EU all round.